As MHA officials meet Kuki-Zo leaders tomorrow, the fate of Manipur’s Suspension of Operations agreement is on the line. The Centre insists on free movement, but Kuki-Zo groups refuse to budge without significant political concessions, fueling fears of a potential breakdown.
BY PC Bureau
NEW DELHI, India – June 8, 2025 – The road to peace in Manipur hinges on crucial talks scheduled for June 9 between officials from the Home Ministry and representatives of Kuki-Zo insurgent groups. These groups, operating under a Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with the Centre, last held formal discussions with the Home Ministry in 2023.
A seven-member kuki-Zo  SoO groups will hold the talks with the MHA’s adviser A.K. Mishra and Intelligence Bureau officials.
The upcoming talks are critical for three primary reasons:
- SoO Extension: The discussions will determine whether the Centre is prepared to extend the Suspension of Operations agreement with the insurgent groups. This move is strongly opposed by various Meitei civil society organizations, including the Coordination Committee for Manipur Integration.
- Political Dialogue on Union Territory: The talks will gauge the Centre’s willingness to open serious dialogue on the Kuki-Zo demand for a separate Union Territory – a proposal vehemently rejected by Meitei groups.
- Free Movement Regime: Perhaps the most critical aspect for the Centre is persuading or coercing the SoO groups to permit free movement across Manipur. Home Minister Amit Shah previously attempted to implement this regime, but it failed due to stiff resistance from Kuki-Zo groups. After large-scale violence erupted on March 8 in Kangpokpi, the day the free movement policy was to be enacted, the Centre put the decision on the backburner, though it remains a top priority.
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Sources within the Home Ministry indicate that the Kuki-Zo groups must agree to the “free movement regime” for any progress to be made. “Unless the SoO groups’ representatives agree to allow free movement across the state, the Centre is not ready to engage with them on their demand for political resolution, extending the SoO agreement, or even refunding two years of pending stipends to insurgent cadres who have given up arms under the SoO pact,” a source stated.
Conversely, Kuki-Zo groups are unlikely to make concessions on free movement or the removal of buffer zones unless the Centre offers something that convinces their people that the government acknowledges the non-coexistence of Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities. A senior SoO representative emphasized, “If push came to shove, they will walk out of the talks but not agree to allow free movement.” He added, “If anyone in the government still believes that Meiteis and Kukis could coexist, he lives in a delusional world. Look what happened in Imphal on Saturday night. Can anyone coexist with such violent people? They killed our people, raped our women, set fire to our houses. We could never forget these things.”
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The Kuki-Zo representative also warned that any attempt by the Centre to use force to implement the free movement regime would lead to “unprecedented bloodbath.” “We will oppose peacefully; let the security forces gun us down. But could the nation remain indifferent to such a bloodbath again?” he questioned.
While government officials believe that extending the SoO agreement and releasing pending dues for the last two years could be a valuable incentive to persuade Kuki-Zo leaders to agree to free movement, a cessation of hostilities pact, and resettlement of IDP camps, the Kuki-Zo leaders are not ready to yield under pressure. The SoO representative stressed that the extension of the SoO agreement was not a point for blackmail. “The promised stipends to the SoO cadres have not been paid for the last two years, even though their arms remain locked up. The agreement has become a one-sided affair. What is important is a time-bound commitment to consider our political demands,” he asserted.
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The SoO agreement, in place since 2008, has been periodically extended each year. However, on February 29, 2024, the Manipur government pulled out of the tripartite pact, of which the other two signatories are the MHA and the SoO groups. The outcome of these talks will significantly impact Manipur’s path forward.
